Review: & Juliet is a Tragedy No More
From the moment the curtain goes up, & Juliet breathes new life into what is perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous play. Directed by Luke Sheppard and set on the opening night of the first ever performance of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare's ultra-fabulous wife Anne (Teal Wicks) decides she hates the ending of this new play. She instead pitches Juliet as a strong, feminist character with her own dreams and desires. What if, instead, Juliet doesn’t die…..? This jukebox musical features over two dozen songs from various pop artists, and a you’ll-laugh-so-hard-you-can’t-breath book from David West Read.
Shakespeare (Stark Sands) and Anne (Betsy Wolf) from the original Broadway cast of & Juliet
As used-be-being-adored-literary-genius Shakespeare (Corey Mach) and Anne wrestle for creative control, Juliet gets a new story, this time full of friends, freedom, and independence (and really catchy music).
Juliet (Lorna Courtney), Anne (Betsy Wolfe), May (Justin David Sullivan) and Angélique (Melanie La Barrie) in the original Broadway cast of & Juliet
From the moment she plucks Shakespeare’s quill from his hand, Anne is the best friend we should all be so lucky to have. Loyal, lovable, and a staunchly fearless feminist, Anne asks what we (or at least I) have been thinking for years- why doesn’t Shakespeare write any strong female characters? Wicks brings a sparkling sass to the role while still maintaining the vocal prowess needed to take on not only zippy numbers like “I Want It That Way” (originally sung by the Backstreet Boys), but also big-belt numbers like “That’s the Way it Is” (originally sung by Céline Dion).
Rachel Simone Webb lights up the stage as literature’s favorite no-longer-tragic heroine in the role of Juliet. As Juliet comes into her own, Webb creates a character that’s a little bit ditzy, little bit impulsive, and firmly sure of what she wants as she leads her friends May (Nick Drake), April (played by Wicks as Anne, who has written herself into the show), and Angélique, her childhood nurse (Kathryn Allison) on a journey of self-love and self-discovery (which often has Webb high above the stage, be it swinging from a chandelier or floating among the stars). Webb gives numbers like “Confident” (Demi Lovato), “Domino” (Jessie J), “Oops!...I Did It Again” (Britney Spears), and “Since U Been Gone” (Kelly Clarkson) a zesty boost of girl power as she sings with a voice that holds the sweetness of a Disney princess and the power of the feminist hero she becomes.
May (Justin David Sullivan) in the original Broadway cast of & Juliet
But it is Nick Drake who steals the show as the ever-fabulous May. While May flounces around the stage with the girlies, Drake brings a sense of honesty and depth to a poignant discussion about gender identity, self-love, and accepting people for who they are. Their flawless performance showcases their impeccable emotional range and brings a beautiful truthfulness to numbers like “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” (Britney Spears) and “Whataya Want From Me” (Adam Lambert).
Juliet (Lorna Courtney, right) and the original Broadway cast of & Juliet
Unlike so many jukebox musicals that have come before it, & Juliet manages to avoid a fatal (and often boring) pitfall that befell so many of its predecessors. The music is actually used to move the plot along and flows as seamlessly and effortlessly as if it had been written for the production itself. Music supervisor Bill Sherman and the rest of the music team have managed to read between the lines of over two dozen pop songs and give them new meaning and sparkle with undeniably clever arrangements. Did I ever think Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” could be combined with Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” to create a classically witty musical theater I hate you/I love you song? Nope. Did Paul-Jordan Jansen (in the role of Lance) and Kathryn Allison (as Juiet’s nurse Angélique) pull it off and have their audience roaring with laughter? Absolutely.
Costume designer Paloma Young brings the characters to life with a fabulous wardrobe that combines Shakespeare, grunge, and modern pop, and Soutra Gilmour’s set designs delicately bring Verona into the modern era. The production also features music and lyrics from Max Martin and Friends, lighting design from Howard Hudson, sound design from Gareth Owen, video and projection design from Andrzej Goulding, and kick-butt choreography from Jennifer Weber.
& Juliet contains adult language and themes. Parental discretion is advised. Not recommended for children under 8 years of age. Children under the age of 6 are not allowed at this performance. The production runs at the Durham Performing Arts Center through Sunday, October 6, 2024. Tickets can be purchased here.
Feature Photo: Rachel Simone Webb as Juliet in the first national tour of & Juliet. All photo credit to Matthew Murphy. Additional production photos can be found below.
